One of the most distinctive things about this book was the world building. The races are completely different from anything I’ve seen before. I was a little hesitant when I read the cover blurb because I wasn’t sure how I would feel about what sounded like various races of bug people, but it was executed brilliantly. These people aren’t just human sized insects walking around. The different races, or kinden, have distinct characteristics and abilities, called their Art, that lend them specific talents. For instance the Wasp kinden can summon wings to fly and shoot fiery blast, or stings. Others can summon abilities like stealth, strength, or dexterity. The diversity of the kinden was really interesting, and I can’t wait to find out more about them. There is also a heavier technology presence than I was expecting, which I usually don’t love, but which I thought was handled well. This is an interesting world where the people have traits, think abilities, derived from different insects (Kinden). From the ability to fly or having a sting. These traits also influence their culture and styles of thought. The Lowlands’ city states have lived in peace for decades, hailed as bastions of civilization. Yet that peace is about to end. A distant empire has been conquering neighbours with highly trained soldiers and sophisticated combat techniques. And the city states are its desirable new prize. I should also note that this has a definite steampunk feel to it. The beetles have invented cars running on steam, spring tension and even electricity; the same goes for air craft. Trains are just coming into the picture. Weapons seem to be the cutting edge, however, with gunpowder fired crossbows (with repeating action), massive siege engines and such. The imagination of Tchaikovsky is truly amazing and his prose is a pleasure. L'impero è delle Vespe: volano e lanciano raggi di energia dalla mano, come il pungiglione dell'insetto.

I first discovered Tchaikovsky with his Children of Time and have read most of his science fiction, but EIBAG was his first foray into writing and also a fantasy epic. Yet, many of the themes found in his later science fiction novels may be found here as well. EIBAG was his first novel, and while that shows a little, I still found it an engrossing and fun read. Just think about it. Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt series, human races have taken on aspects of different insects. You know as well as we do that this could have been sooooo bad. Instead what we are really given is a slightly more unique take on dwarves and elves. Honestly, we were a tad disappointed initially. Too many of the different cultures in EMPIRE were far too reminiscent of the races we have already read about a thousand times. One of the aspects that a culture takes in EMPIRE is that of the Beetle. They may as well have been called dwarves. The Mantis? Elves. Thankfully, things didn’t go much further than that. We were given enough unique ideas to balance the thinly veiled similar ones–like the Ants, who are incredibly cool warriors that, obviously, think collectively–that the presentation was fresh enough to keep us involved. Realistically, the majority of the readers won’t immediately identify the disguised clichés, and really even when we realized what was going on, we were still swept along by the story. This, dear readers, is the mark of a good storyteller. Tchaikovsky revealed the basis of Shadows of the Apt in an online essay entitled "Entering the Shadows" at Upcoming4.me. [14] The city states of the Lowlands have lived in peace for decades, bastions of civilization, prosperity and sophistication, protected by treaties, trade and a belief in the reasonable nature of their neighbours. We follow several characters on this journey and each one is better than the next. First we follow Cheerwell Maker: Stenwold’s niece and student at the collegium. Beetle-Kinden curious about the world and its inhabitants until the war is brought to her front door. Next we follow Tynisa: Stenwolds student and ward. Spider-Kinden who finds that she has no interest in the learning and knowledge of building machines but instead wishes to take up the way of the sword. Then we have Tisamon: Mantis-Kinden and a fierce warrior. Guilted by the betrayal of his once friend, he had lived in isolation for the past 17 years until Stenwold calls for help and the war with the wasps begin. Finally there is Achaeos: Moth-Kinden on a secret mission until it goes horrible wrong, He is a seer in training and his scenes involving his powers were the one of my favorite parts of the story.With a multitude of races (insect-aspects), naturally comes a multitude of conflict. Fear, ignoring danger for profit, crucifying religion for reason, racism, etc. It makes for a very engaging fantasy book. The issues are tangible and real, without feeling arbitrarily political. At it’s core, EMPIRE is an extremely thoughtful book while telling an entertaining tale.

One step from totally new. We have so much new and then so much very mundane. I'd have loved to have seen more about gender, sexual relationships, and the concept of war integrated more from the bugs that have influenced the people of this world. Tomio, Jay (26 September 2008). "Bug Out with Adrian Tchaikovsky Before Children of Time". Nekoplz . Retrieved 11 March 2010. I don't know how to describe it properly, but the action scenes in here didn't even feel like action most of the time. The writing-style and prose are pretty good consistantly, but the action... I don't know about that one. This might be a debut, but apart from some small things, you will probably not really notice it. Tchaikovsky had some balls when he decided to start off with something like this. The Lowlands is a world and civilization unlike any other you have read in the fantasy genre and I can guarantee that! There are several different races of humans in this world with each race being referred to as a different Kinden. A Kinden is a race of human that based on the aspects of different insects!. I know this may sound strange but let me explain how it works. The world consists of several different types of Kinden: beetles, ants, dragonfly, mantis, spider, moth, wasp etc… Each Kinden contains their own skills or magic abilities. Beetle-Kinden tend to be short with round build and they are very smart with the ability to build machines. Ant-Kinden are short but very strong soldiers to go to war and they can communicate in each others minds without talking. Mantis-Kinden are elite soldiers similar to a samurai and very prideful. Finally Wasp-Kinden are magic users who can fly, but not very strong as a group. All of these Kinden and so much more inhabit this world and Adrian Tchaikovsky has taken my breath away with his imagination and creative genius!So I would tend towards 5 stars now, but in light of the level up that is book 4 I'll go for 4.5 star rating now. So, after gazing lovingly at the cover for a good long while, we opened up EMPIRE hoping the unique premise we had read about was delivered. It could have gone wrong. Horribly wrong, even. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a far cry from bad, or even mediocre. The only problem I noticed for myself, that this world does feel a bit artificial at times - a bit constructed. It was a very fine book with an original idea and well executed too. Solid world building, even pacing and impeccable characterization, plenty of action as well.